Sunday, May 27, 2012

I have been busy up sizing my baby tunic pattern. It has been a long road - more for the fact that stealing time to do anything around here is very hard to do. :) - I am sure most mothers could understand that. :-)

Anyhoooo - I am in the midst of putting this up but I have just realised that I actually need to be more than half awake to get it right and my scribble on the back page of an exercise book which made PERFECT sense when I wrote it down a couple of weeks ago - now looks like some different language!

So - Instead - here is a few pics of my youngest in a 6-12month size tunic. She is a well covered little girl and is just over 9 months. This is knit in Family Roots yarn in the 'Smarties' colour way.

Friday, August 5, 2011

I have been really spoilt these last few weeks with some new toys. This post and pics is all about my new Ashford fine tooth drum carder. It is so much fun! Making a finished product from right back at the fleece coming off the sheep.

The above is half a bale of Arapawa fleeces in varying shades. Arapawa is on the Rare Breeds List and is a lovely fleece a lot like Merino. My darling hubby was bringing a tiny Nissan March down from Taranaki and I purchased this for him to pick up on the way through. I was hoping it wouldn't be too stinky - He didn't complain. Phew.

I didn't have any scouring liquid so thought that the bath and shampoo would work fine. Ew what a job. The amount of yuck that comes out is rather nasty - not for the light tummied. After it was washed though it was lovely. I just squeezed it out and threw the different shades of fleece into pillowcases and spun it in the washing machine. I later dyed some of the light fleece and then carded it together in a cotton candy batt.

After watching a wonderful clip on YouTube I decided to pull it off into a ready to spin roving. I just made a little hole in a plastic bottle top and this worked great.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

I have worked on my simple design for people who want to knit it in the round rather than on flats and seaming.

It is still knit from the bottom up, but it would easily be knit from the top down if you wanted to

not run out of yarn. Just follow the pattern backwards. The only difference is that instead of decreasing on every bodice stitch you would increase on every stitch by kf&b or M1. The kf&b would add in a purl look stitch every second stitch. the m1 would add an eyelet look after every stitch.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Difficulty: Beginner / Easy - INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ROUND - FOLLOW THIS LINK.0-6, (6-12)month sizeChest: 16", (18")Length from shoulder: 10", 25.5cm (33cm, 13")Bottom tunic width: 11", 28cm (12.2 "31cm)Yarn 8ply / dk – needle size 4mmInstructions for Bottom up in two pieces/ flat needles.CO 60stsRow 1-4: Knit5: Eyelet row *K1, YO, K2TOG* repeat from * until end.6-7: Knit. Count stitches to make sure you still have 60 on your needle. If you don't either increase or decrease to 60 in the following stocking stitch rows.8- Start and continue is stocking stitch – adding any pattern you want to incorporate or stripes, until your work measures: total 7",18cm (8",,20cm)STOP – you will now need to do a front panel and a back panel – follow the two different instructions below. J

FRONT Bodice instructions:
1: On a K row cast off 3 stitches then K to end.
2: On next purl row cast off 3 stitches and purl to end.
3 decrease row: *K2tog* on every stitch till end. 26sts
4: Moss stitch (K1P1 then P1K1 on alternate rows) for bodice for the next 2 ¼", 6cm.
Neck row: moss 7 cast off 12 sts moss remaining 7.
Straps: work on the closest 7 stitches in moss for 4 extra rows. Cast off. Join yarn to other 7 remaining stitches and moss 4 rows and cast off.BACK Bodice instructions:
1: On a K row cast off 2 stitches then K to end.
2: On next purl row cast off 2 stitches and purl to end.
3: decrease row: *K2tog* on every stitch till end. 28sts
4: Moss stitch (K1P1 then P1K1 on alternate rows) for bodice for the next 2 1/2 ", 7cm.
Neck row: moss 7 cast off 14 sts moss remaining 7.
Straps: work on the closest 7 stitches in moss for 10 extra rows. On next row incorporate a
button hole: Moss 3, YO, k OR p 2tog, moss to end. Moss one more row. On next row decrease 1 stitch on each end of row by either k OR p 2tog. Total 5 sts. Next row cast off.
Repeat on other strap.
Finishing:
Mattress stitch sides together. Reinforcing under the armpits.
Sew on buttons.
Done.
This is a two short evening knit. Great for a gift.
This pattern has been provided free. If you wish to make garments to sell from it, please email me to let me know first. Thanks. gunnbeckgunn@gmail.com

Sunday, August 8, 2010

It has been a while but we are back and better than ever before. About four weeks ago we started to launch Little Gunn. A fantastic everyday clothing label. Easy wear and easy care. A hint of retro and a hint of cool.

Best of all is that it is 100% made here in Wellington NZ and is affordable.

We have an ever growing range in our store and our online store will be up and running soon.